Rescues are responsive operations that usually involve in the saving of lives or the prevention of injury following an incident or dangerous situation. Many different tools are used by trained first responders to allow them to help injured or endangered persons in ways that are as fast and safe as humanly possible. These tools generally include, but are not limited to, search and rescue vehicles such as EMS rescue vehicles, fire engines, helicopters, and police cars, search and rescue dogs, and hydraulic cutting and spreading tools such as the “jaws of life.”
Unfortunately, there are circumstances where common rescue tools are not sufficient to perform the rescue in a sufficiently timely manner. In many instances, roadways may be blocked by trees or other fallen debris which make it difficult for the responder to arrive at the incident site in a timely manner. Such delays may result in unnecessarily aggravated injuries or possibly death of the injured person(s).
In other circumstances, the rescue site may be on the face of a mountain or in the ocean where the responders will be able to reach, but the circumstances will cause a delay in reaching the injured person.
In recent years, the military has increasingly relied on drones. Drones are remotely-controlled aerial vehicles which may perform surveillance and missile launches in a manner that does not unnecessarily risk the lives of our soldiers. There are no current drones adapted for emergency, rescue, or first-aid situations. A remotely-controlled aerial vehicle designed to assist in rescue by providing on-site assistance to the rescuers or endangered persons is needed.